Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 is widely regarded as one of the best films of the year, and now his next movie has been given a green light. Media Rights Capital has committed funding to the untitled science fiction movie. which is set to begin production next year.

The film is based on a graphic novel created by Blomkamp, and has been acquired by Sony’s Worldwide Acquisitions Group. MRC is giving Blomkamp complete creative freedom, and a production commitment not contingent on domestic rights. The writer/director has already started writing the film and preparing the visual effects, working with a budget that will certainly be much larger than District 9 which came in at below $30 million.

“MRC is letting me make the film I want to make and that is by far the most important thing here,” Blomkamp said. “The film will hopefully be commercial, but it is very much a singular film, that comes directly from me. District 9 was a bit different. I was learning the process then, under Peter Jackson’s wing. He had control, but was awesome enough to let me make the film I wanted to. I’m not particularly interested in massive budget films, or creating huge spectacles that some young directors might be attracted to,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be a bit unique, very much a reflection of me. It is absolutely another science fiction film, quite different from District 9 but some of the blending of genres and the tone might be within the same realm.”